Information Charlottesville

An organization that works with tourism agencies across the world to attract people to specific locations has launched a pilot project with the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau to highlight the area’s inclusivity. 

The CACVB will work with Destinations International on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion “Tourism for All” program.

“Through a focus on inclusive marketing, welcoming diverse demographics and creating accessible spaces, the [Convention and Visitors Bureau] can become the bright beacon to which people from anywhere can find commonality and community, while also attracting new and underserved travelers to the destination,” reads a press release on the pilot. 

The program will feature an action plan as well as a pledge toward Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Another work would develop “intentionally inclusive tour products that tell the stories of historically excluded populations and reach broader audiences.” There would also be a goal of ensuring existing businesses that may feel excluded can participate and benefit from people visiting the area. 

The company Tripadvisor will also be included in the Tourism for All pilot. This will be tested in the Charlottesville market. There’s a lot of potential. 

“Black Travelers spent nearly $130 billion dollars on travel in 2019, closely followed by Hispanic travelers who spent $113 billion,” the release continues. “According to data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018, one in four people in the US have a disability,”

That latter demographic spends $95 billion a year a year on travel. 

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